Boiler



Dec.

C. H. HOOK BOILER Filed Jan. 31; 1924 together soas to p water therethrough, the sections being de- .Patented Dec.` 15, 1925.

UNITED STATES CHABLFS HOWARD HOOK, OF `PI.[".'I.SIB'.U'B Q'H, PENNSYLVANIA.

Application med January 31, 1924. Serial-No. 689,652.

To all whom, it concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES HOWARD HOOK, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburgh, in 'the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Boilers, ofwhich the following is av specication.

This invention relates to water heaters made up of a plurality of lcast cooperating sections.

The objects of the invention are to so' make the cooperating sections that a maximum exposure of surface to hot gases may be obtained and that the hot gases may be guidedin a tortuous path through the heater so as to partially obstruct .their flow, causing them to come in contact with'a maximum amount of surface of water tubes. More specically an object of the invention is to so position transverse hollow water carrying tubes in the sections that when two cooperating sections are properly positioned a ainst each other, adjacent water tubes of the same level in the two sections will be alternately close together, and spaced apart, in consecutive pairs. Other objects and advantages will be apparent to those familiar with the art lfrom the following specification.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 is a side elevation and artial section showing a single section oi) a heater embodying this invention, this section being in place upon a normal carrying base; Fig. 2 shows a partial vertical section through the heater shown in- Fig. l, upon the line II--II thereof. y

Low ressure heaters foruse in the'heating of wellings and buildings are ordinarily made of a plurality of cooperating cast iron sections, adapted when fitted together to form a water-containing boiler or heater all of the interior spaces being connected permit a circulation of signed to secure a large exposure of surface to gases of combustion used rfor heating. Such apparatus is either used for generating steam `or else for heating water to be circulated through a system of radiators. The individual sections are cast from iron or iron alloy, in well known manner, and the particular method of making is no part of v this invention.

These sections are made with Yhollow top and side portions, and withtransverse connectin tubes between the side wall chambers. y invention relates to the particular form and positioning ofl these transverse water tubes.

Referring to the drawings a heater illustrating my invention is shown comprising a hollow base member 1 having openings 3 and 2 therein for the insertion of fuel pipes, and for observation doors. Burners of any suitable form are positioned in the chamber 4 formed inside the hollow base 1, which supports the heater sections 5, 6, 7 8, 9, 10t ereon. It is understood that the particular heating means employed is not a part of the invention, and any suitable form of furnace may be used. The heater sections comprise hollow side wall forming casings 11 and 12, which have lateral openings 13 and 14 therethrough, at the tops of the compartments 11 and the bottoms of compartments 12, as illustrated. These openings form a passage through which water may circulate from one section to the next adjacent one when the sections are normally positioned by being clamped together side" by Vside to form a heater as illustrated in Fig. 2.

Transverse hollow tubes extend across between the compartments 11 and 12, and these tubes are spaced apart a material distance from each other in vertical direction,

the lowermost tubes being symmetrically arranged in the middle portions of the heater section, the tubes above being positioned out of symmetrical middle position, alternately on each side of the middle plane, approximately in outer alignment with one or the other of the side planes of the heater section. For example referring to section 5 of Fig. 2 the lowermost tube 15 is symmetrically positioned with respect to the middle plane of the section, the next upper tube 16 is positioned unsymmetrically with respect to the middle plane, the tube being moved over to the left just short of the outer plane of the section, the next tube 17 being positioned unsymmetrically with respect to the middle plane, to the right almost to the inner'plane of the section, the next tube 18 corresponding in position to the lower tube 16, and the last tube 19 corresponding in osition to the tube 17, etc.

he next heater section 6 has its tubes, which are marked with numbers corresponding to the tube of section 5 with the'addition of the letter a-`arranged in similar order, except that the tubes of the same level after the lowermost, are positioned unsymmetrically in opposite order to the arrangement of the tubes of section 5. That is to say tube 16a of section 6 is out of symmetry by being positioned near the inner plane of the section whereas tube 16 of section 5 is unsymmetrically positioned in the opposite direction. This arrangement is as if the section 6 were identical with the section 5, but turned around.

Additional sections 7 and 9 correspond in arrangement of tubes to that of section 5, and additional sections 8 and 10 correspond in arrangement of tubes to that vof section 6, and so on for whatever number of heater sections may be employed.

It will be noted that tubes 17 and 17, 19 and 19, etc., in the assembled heater have a slight clearance, in the form of a narrow slot or crack running across the heater. On the other hand the sections 18 and 18a, 16 and 16a, etc., are positioned apart a substantial distance, so that there is afforded a free passage therebetween for hot gases. This arrangement results in the tubes in vertical pairs beingfirst relatively close together and the next pair relatively far apart.

The water tubes are made in a special oblong shape, so as to expose a maximum amount of lower surface' to the rising hot gases. i

The gases of combustion from the chamber 1 pass upward and strike against the lowermost water tubes 15, 15, 15b, etc. These being symmetrically arranged in the middle portions of the heatersections provide" passages on each side thereof through which the gases travel upwardly. Above the lowermost series of the water tubes, the gases can not pass freely between the sec- 'tions 16a-16", 16C-16d, etc., but are caused to pass to and through the passages between the sections 16 and 16a, 16" and 16, etc.

. Having passed through these passagesthc gases necessarily divide and flow laterally to reach the passages between the sections 17a, 17 b, 17, 17d, etc., and so on, passing upward through the heater and around the tubes in a tortuous path. Thus the hot gases come into contact with a maximum surface ofthe tubes, and also their upward travel is so restricted that they are retained in `the heater long enough to give up a maximum amount of their heat by absorption through the walls of the heater sections and transverse tubes. j

The narrowl space between the tubes, as for example between tubes 17 and 17a, 16a

, and 16", etc., is not'intended to permit any' material flow of hot gases therethrough, but is just suflicient to prevent the formation of a 4dead pocket of gas between those two tubes. 1

At the top the gases of combustion pass upward through central openings 20u provided between the top compartment 20 of each section b ,offset abutting portions 21 as illustrated 1n Fig. 1, and out through a flue connected with a central opening 23 in a cap plate 24, as illustrated.

In order that the gases may not be drawn to the middle portion of the tubes by the draft of the centrally placed openings 20, baffles are provided beneath those openings, formed by offset portions 25 extending from the walls of compartment y20, as illustrated in Fig. l. These contact in adjoining sections as illustrated in Fig. 2, and cause the gases to pass into the openings 20a from each side of the baffles formed by projections 25. This tends to keep the hot gases spread out in the heater and to preventpockets.

It will be observed that when the boiler or heater is assembled the tubes of the several sections are arranged in successive horizontal rows. Consequently, in spiteof the staggered arrangement to secure maximum contact with gases of combustion, the tubes may be cleaned by a brush inserted from the side or front. y,

The result of this arrangement is alwater heater of increased efficiency, which may be made without any extra expense as compared to similar heaters now in use. A maximum contact of hot gas with heating surface is obtained, iiow of gases through the heater is unobstructed by dampers or other elements that do not contain water, and yet the flow is retarded suflieiently by the actual water-containing elements to secure the desired retention of gases until their effective heat has been suiiiciently absorbed.

I claim:

1. A water heater composed of a plurality of adjacent connected sections, each section having side and top compartments and transverse hollow tubes, some of the tubes of cach section being arranged in staggered relation with respect to the middle plane of the section, and the sections being assembled so that the staggered tubes of the same level in adjacent sections are alternately positioned relatively close together and far apart in vertical order.

2. In a water heater comprising a plurality of clamped together hollow sections adapted to contain water and comprising top and side compartments and similar transverse horizontally connecting tubes of 'greater width than height in cross section and of lesser widthl than the side compartments, the tubes of each section being alternately offset on opposite sides of the middle plane of the section, and tubes at the same level of each two, adjacent sections being arranged to be alternately spaced near together and materially apart in ascending order above section.

3. A water heater com rising a-plurality of c ast sections arranged) to fit together to `form al unitary container, each section having side compartments and transverse connecting tubes, the tubes being alternately offset on opposite sides ofkthe middle plane of each lsectlon, and the sections so arranged the lowermost tubes in each.`

that adjafizentJ tubes ofthe` same level are 10 alternately spaced relatively close together and far apart in ascending order, the tubes being posltioned in the assembled heater in successive horizontal'v rows, whereby freespaces through the-heater for cleaning are 16'- provided above and below each row of-tubes.

, In testimony whereof, 'I sign my name.

CHARLES HOWARD HOOK. 

